Cabinet Split on Upcoming Assisted Dying Bill

The debate surrounding the assisted dying bill in the UK is intensifying as MPs prepare for a vote on November 29. Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, has become the first cabinet minister to publicly support the bill, emphasizing the importance of choice and control for terminally ill patients, while Health Secretary Wes Streeting has warned of potential NHS resource implications and expressed his opposition. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, influenced by his experiences caring for his terminally ill mother, has also voiced concerns about the psychological pressure that assisted dying might place on vulnerable individuals, stating he will vote against the bill. The proposed legislation, touted as the most robust globally, would allow only terminally ill adults with less than six months to live to seek assisted dying, subject to multiple layers of scrutiny. The bill has sparked a divided response among cabinet members, with some advocating for improved palliative care instead. The Archbishop of Canterbury has raised concerns about a potential 'slippery slope' should assisted dying be legalized.